LAHORE - Pakistan's one-day captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Twenty20 skipper M Hafeez believe that the pace bowlers picked for the much-anticipated series in India have the ability to rattle the strong batting line-up of the hosts.
"I believe that the pacers selected in the squads have the potential to upset the Indians in their own backyard," Hafeez said. He said tall left-arm pacer M Irfan would be used as a "surprise package" in the Twenty20 series. "For the pace bowlers, it is a great opportunity to shine and establish themselves in the team because a series against India is always followed very closely by everyone," Misbah added.
Hafeez will lead Pakistan in the two T20 matches while Misbah will be captaining the one-day squad for the three matches in India. The two squads feature several pace bowlers including Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, M Irfan, Anwar Ali, Asad Ali and Sohail Tanvir. Four of the bowlers are left-arm pacers. "I am very confident and positive that we have the team to beat India and win both the series," Hafeez stated. Misbah conceded that matches against India are always high-pressure games for players from both sides. "But being professional players we are supposed to live and adjust to this unique pressure and I will be telling all the players to go and just play positively on the tour," Misbah added.
Asked about the omission of experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq from both squads and that of flamboyant all-rounder, Shahid Afridi from the ODI squad, Misbah said both had served Pakistan cricket well. "But people must remember that any decision related to dropping a senior player is not just because of the captain such decisions are taken collectively." Misbah said.
Hafeez also insisted that there was no conspiracy behind the axing of Razzaq. "There is no doubt about the ability of Razzaq and his performances but the selectors selected the squads keeping in mind the conditions in India," he explained. After the tour of India, Pakistan are going to visit South Africa for a long tour, where fast bowlers are expected to play a huge role, urging the selectors to introduce some fresh players.
“We have introduced the best performers from the domestic T20 tournament. I urge the players to play with freedom and play their natural game against India. We have the South African tour in our minds and that's why our T20I squad consists of 5 fast bowlers,” said the T20 captain.
There has been some criticism on Hafeez’s batting of late, as the right-hander’s strike-rate suffered during the ICC World T20 2012. However, the opening batsman expressed that his job was to play the role of a sheet-anchor, not an aggressor. Hafeez, who represented Lahore Lions in the recently-concluded Faysal Bank T20 Tournament 2012-13, further added that he did not try to change the team combination.
Hafeez believes that his team must curtail the progress of Virat Kohli, in order to have any chance of dismantling the Men in Blue. With Abdur Rehman out of competitive cricket at the moment, because of the ban imposed on him due to a positive dope test in England earlier this year, and Raza Hasan ruled out of the tour of India because of a back injury, the national selectors have included Zulfiqar Babar in the national team.
The left-arm spinner from Okara has performed exceptionally well in the President’s Trophy 2012-13, picking 62 wickets in nine first-class matches, more than any other bowler in the tournament.
Hafeez believes that Zulfiqar’s inclusion in the national team is thoroughly deserved as the 34-year-old cricketer has been doing at the national level for many seasons now. The Pakistan captain does not want to bank only on his spinners in India, urging the pacers to raise their game and deliver the goods against the traditional rivals.
The opening batsman is extremely impressed by Kohli’s progress in international cricket and feels that the right-hander is a real threat for the Green Shirts. “I think Zulfiqar is very talented and he deserved to get a chance,” Hafeez expressed. “Virat Kohli is just fantastic. We have to get him out early or else he will take India home single-handedly. Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi can win both the T20Is for us, but our pace battery has to step up as well.”
Babar, whose skills will be immensely tested against the Indian batsmen, expressed earlier this month that he is delighted to have been given a chance to represent his country and said that playing international cricket was his childhood dream. “I started playing cricket thinking to play for my country and pursing the goal I have taken a lot of time to reach the big stage,” Zulfiqar expressed.